Condition Ascertainment Unit

Abstract

A condition ascertainment unit accurately ascertains the condition of an opponent in a remote location while considering an opponent's privacy. The condition ascertainment unit for ascertaining the condition of the opponent in a remote location includes a staging device configured to perform a staging operation different from the operation of reproducing a video image and voice of the opponent, and a control device configured to control the staging device to perform the staging operation and to communicate with an opponent side terminal. The control device obtains data on at least one of opponent's position and state, atmosphere in the space where the opponent is present, voice emitted from the opponent, and vibration generated by action of the opponent; specifies, from the obtained data, contents on the above-described item; and causes the staging device to perform the staging operation in a staging mode corresponding to the specified contents.

1 . A condition ascertainment unit used by a user for ascertaining a condition of an opponent in a remote location, comprising:
 a staging device configured to perform a staging operation being recognizable by the user and being different from an operation of reproducing a video image and voice of the opponent; and   a control device configured to control the staging device to perform the staging operation and to communicate with an opponent side terminal used by the opponent,
 wherein the control device executes 
 data obtaining processing of obtaining data via a communication with the opponent side terminal, the data indicating at least one of a presence or absence of the opponent, a video image including an image of the opponent, sound collected in a space where the opponent is present, or vibration generated by action of the opponent, 
 content specifying processing of specifying a content on at least one of a position of the opponent, a state of the opponent, or atmosphere in the space where the opponent is present from the data obtained by the data obtaining processing, and 
 staging request processing of causing the staging device to perform the staging operation in a staging mode corresponding to the content specified by the content specifying processing. 
   
     
     
         2 . The condition ascertainment unit according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the control device obtains sound data indicating the sound collected in the space where the opponent is present in the data obtaining processing and specifies at least one of a volume or a quality of the sound indicated by the sound data in the content specifying processing.   
     
     
         3 . The condition ascertainment unit according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the control device
 obtains position data indicating the position of the opponent and the sound data in the data obtaining processing, and 
 specifies at least one of the volume or the quality of the sound indicated by the sound data and specifies the position of the opponent with respect to a reference position in the space where the opponent is present in the content specifying processing. 
   
     
     
         4 . The condition ascertainment unit according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the staging device executes the staging operation of displaying a pattern image on a display screen, and   the control device, in execution of the staging request processing,
 sets a display mode of the pattern image as the staging mode, and 
 causes the staging device to perform the staging operation such that the pattern image is displayed in the display mode corresponding to the content specified by the content specifying processing. 
   
     
     
         5 . The condition ascertainment unit according to  claim 4 , wherein
 when the content specified by the content specifying processing changes, the control device, in the staging request processing,   switches the display mode along with the content change, and   causes the staging device to perform the staging operation such that the pattern image is displayed in the display mode after being switched.   
     
     
         6 . The condition ascertainment unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a reproduction device configured to perform a reproduction operation of reproducing at least one of the video image and the voice of the opponent; and   an operation receiving equipment configured to receive an operation performed by the user to cause the reproduction device to perform the reproduction operation,
 wherein when the operation receiving equipment receives the operation, the control device further executes reproduction request processing of controlling the reproduction device to perform the reproduction operation, and 
 the operation receiving equipment receives the operation while the staging device is performing the staging operation. 
   
     
     
         7 . The condition ascertainment unit according to  claim 6 , wherein the staging device and the reproduction device are configured as a common device.